His Pride
by Soul Sky
Summary: Everything had gone to shit, the world was falling apart, and only one of them could go back. Xanxus makes a choice. (Time Travel AU)
1. Chapter 1

**I have a thing for Family!Varia fics. I acknowledge this, and I owe this fic to Bleach-ed-Nat-su and a combination of some of her various fics- 'Tell Her That He's Dead' and 'The Difference Between'- You're an inspiration darling. Thanks for sharing with us. I do not own KHR.**

 **Warnings: OOC, Largely AU (this ties into the OOC) Time Travel. Language (-cough-Xanxus-cough-)**

 _Summary: Everything had gone to shit, the world was falling apart, and only one of them could go back. Xanxus makes a choice._

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Xanxus' eyes were dark- almost black instead of blood red- as he looked around.

The world had gone to shit. It was falling apart- no one had been ready for the Solecorvo Famiglia, not Japan, not Italy, not the Mafia, not even the governments.

Solecorvo: Sun Crow.

Appropriate.

They were scavengers, but even scavengers would feed on lions if the lion was taken down. The Solecorvo had plotted and planned and struck fast and _hard_ and it had worked.

Down went the lion.

It didn't help that the family had done _something_ and every fucking one of the pieces of trash had Sun Flames the likes of which _none_ of them had ever seen. It was like they were zombies except they retained the ability to _reason_ and _plot._

It didn't matter if you shot them, or if you stabbed them, it didn't matter if you used poison or even if you decapitated them. The Solecorvo bastards just _healed the fuck up_ and _kept going_.

The only thing that seemed to work was completely and utterly _erasing_ them- burn them into ashes- otherwise they just kept coming, just healed up and attacked again and again and they _didn't get tired_.

Xanxus sneered.

They pissed him the fuck off. Especially since Vongola had been one of the first to get attacked. Solecorvo had _known_ they needed to take out the Little Boss- Tsuna- and his supporters first if they wanted to keep any sort of foothold.

Xanxus _vividly_ remembered the way Tsuna had seized in his office, the _screech_ of _rage-pain-denial_ that had _ripped_ from Tsunayoshi's very soul, the way he had _dropped_ and arched as if someone was electrocuting him the way he had _erupted_ with Sky Flames and Will. Xanxus remembered hearing through the walls of the Varia Mansion as all of Tsuna's Guardians _screeched_ from the soul at the exact same time, their Flames all roaring to the surface, reaching for each other and swirling together into a huge Flame Storm the likes of which Xanxus hadn't seen before. He can remember how Tsuna had staggered up and out his office door a broken whisper of _"Lambo"_ escaping his lips and Xanxus had _known_ even as he sent his squads out that Tsuna's Lightning Guardian had fallen and he had just witnessed the forceful severing of a Sky from one of his Elements.

He had witnessed the way Tsunayoshi's Sky Flames had shifted to mirror his Wrath Flames when the Little Boss had struck back brutal and angry in a way Xanxus had never seen before but could understand completely because if some _fucker_ had _ever_ taken one of his Elements from him- truly taken one of them, killed one of them- Xanxus would _burn the world and dance in the ashes_.

Xanxus turned his eyes away from the surrounding wreckage to glance behind him, his eyes softening just so.

Tsunayoshi, his Elements and Xanxus' Elements all lay together behind him, trusting him to guard them while they rested.

It was amazing what the end of the fucking world could do in making people work together.

Skies were odd Elements. Not much was known about them, but something that most _didn't know_ , because it rarely ever happened- had only happened to Xanxus with his brothers before they had been murdered (and if Xanxus ever found out _who the fuck had killed them_ he would _erase them._ )- was they could Harmonize with other Skies.

It rarely happened- usually with younger Skies reaching out to an older one, or weaker Skies being pulled in by the stronger Sky- but Tsuna had synched-Harmonized- with Xanxus after the loss of his Lightning, searching for steady ground, someone to lean on; someone strong enough to hold him together while he shattered apart.

It had made Tsunayoshi _one of his_ and Xanxus was a possessive protective fucker even though he expected _His Boys, His Pride_ , to be able to defend themselves. Bringing Tsuna into his Pride had made what was _his_ Xanxus' and so Tsuna's little Pack had become part of Xanxus' Pride, and Xanxus had taken to teaching them all the things he could in between attacks and ambushes.

He was proud of the fuckers.

"You ready Boss?"

Xanxus' eyes drifted to his right hand, Squalo's eyes meeting his effortlessly.

They were good, but the Solecorvo Famiglia had been gaining ground, had gained _too much_ before they had been able to strike back, and it wasn't working. So Tsuna- determined little fuck- had done what he had during the Arcobaleno Trials when he had been told ' _there's no other way but this. It's hopeless'_ and he _made_ another way.

With Verde, Reborn, Gokudera, Mammon, Shoichi and Spanner's help of course.

Xanxus let his eyes drift over the entirety of his Pride laid out before him and his eyes hardened with resolve. "Yes."

Tsuna had made the path, had cleared the way, but Xanxus was to be the one to _walk_ it.

He would be going _back_. He would be changing the future. He would _dance in the ashes_ of the Solecorvo and he would make sure his Pride- all of them- were alright.


	2. Chapter 2

**First of all- this was supposed to be an oneshot, but you guys wanted more so I went with drabbles that ARE NOT ALWAYS IN ORDER. I am messing with stuff like ages and all of that just so you all know. If it takes place out of order I will let you know. Right now we're still good however.**

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Xanxus is possessive. He knows he is, it's something he's known since his 'first' go around when he was on the streets, before Nono took him in when he had to guard what was _his_ and what _was_ his usually meant the difference between dead and not dead. ( _His_ blanket, _his_ food, _his_ water…)

Getting pulled into the Mafia only made that worse especially since his 'opponents' here were much stronger than other street rats which meant sometimes, in the beginning, Xanxus didn't win, that he lost what he had because someone was stronger or more cunning and managed to take whatever it was. It made what Xanxus managed to _keep_ all the more precious and _his_.

Then he ran into Squalo- found _**his Rain**_. Xanxus was bad about being possessive all on his own, adding in the possessiveness that came with the territory of being a Sky? _That_ was where the first hints of what Xanxus would come to call Varia Quality were born- in the lengths Xanxus drove _himself_ to simply because he remembered _not being good enough_ to keep what was his, and he _refused_ to lose _**his Elements**_ to anyone so he needed to be _the best_ so Xanxus fought to _be_ the best.

Elements were possessive on their own, so Squalo had driven himself into the ground right beside his Boss because he _refused_ to be taken from him. Xanxus was _**his Sky**_ and Squalo had honestly thought he would never _find_ a Sky that would want him in all his Inverted Rain glory, but not only had he _found_ one, he had found his _**True Sky**_ , the Sky that he would fit best with _period_ like jigsaw pieces snapping into place, and _like_ _ **hell**_ he would allow himself to be pried from Xanxus' side. This was a trend that continued with each new Guardian Xanxus gathered, each of them driving themselves into the ground so that they could keep up with Xanxus.

It made Xanxus _worse_ because _**nothing**_ made a Sky happier then Elements that _wanted_ to stay with them, that would _fight_ to stay with them and with every time his Elements drove themselves into the ground so that they could stand higher the next time they got up, so they could fight to _stay with him_ they proved they were happy to _be_ _ **his**_ and that caused Xanxus' Flames to _purr_.

Skies were _rare_ \- everyone knew that. A fraction of those that knew about Skies at all knew that Skies could Harmonize with other Skies. When this happened it was usually due to one Sky seeking protection from the other or looking for support and guidance. Tsuna had had one of his Elements- the very pillars that supported a Sky- forcibly taken and his entire being had rebelled and tried to shatter, he had reached for support, for guidance and protection while he grieved over his Lightning, had Harmonized with Xanxus whist looking for that support- out of all the Skies there and there had been at least three others that were not Xanxus, Tsuna had reached for _him_. Tsuna became _**one of his**_ and was in the direct line of fire for the Solecorvo Famiglia.

So the Solecorvo?

Xanxus wanted these fuckers _dead_.

He wanted them _eradicated_.

They had _hurt_ one of **his** _ **. Had hurt**_ **more than one** _ **of his.**_

So it was rather simple.

Xanxus would _turn them into_ _ **ash**_.


	3. Chapter 3

The day he is to be sent back, Xanxus sprawls in the center of his Pride and allows them to lay with him, more relaxed then he has been in a long while because _now_ he has a way to fix this mess, is hours away from going back, hours away from preventing these problems and protecting his Pride.

He spends those hours basking in his Pride's presence because in a few hours he knows that while they will still be _his Pride_ they will not be _this Pride_ yet, this Pride who has suffered through many wars together, plodded through darkness and ash, this Pride who had stood back to back in the middle of the end, who had blocked assassins from getting to each other's throats, who had grown close enough to share Flames, and if Xanxus can prevent it, will never be _exactly_ this Pride ever again.

His Pride seems to realize this as well, all of them basking in the presence of each other, soft murmurs passing from person to person Flames mixing and passing in an intimate show of exactly how close this experience with the Solecorvo had made his Pride. Showing that they are no longer just Family, but _family_. He is quiet himself allowing his presence and Flames to envelop his Pride instead of any words.

Tsuna comes to him, quiet and contemplating, and if there is one thing Xanxus has perfected (because any assassin has it, but not all have perfected it) it is patience in this post-Solecorvo world, so Xanxus waits. After another few minutes, Tsuna sighs softly. "We won't be your Pride when you go back."

Xanxus growls lowly at the sentence but Tsuna shakes his head.

"We won't be your Pride as we are now Xanxus. You'll need to _start over_ will all of us. We won't know you. You will be a stranger to us. We will be _yours_ still, but _you_ will not be _ours_ yet."

Xanxus growls again, softer this time, because he knows Tsuna is right about this and he isn't exactly thrilled with the idea that people he has lived with, fought with, and killed for and who have done the same for and with him won't know him at all when he goes back.

Here Tsuna grins a little, and it's a shadow of its former self but Xanxus _knows_ that Tsuna has done something crazy again, something the world had told him was _impossible_ but Tsuna had simply decided wouldn't stay that way.

"I can't send us back with you." He tells Xanxus "It would cause the entire thing to backfire and _no one_ would go back if we tried it, and I can't transfer our memories along with you, but…" here Tsuna hands him a thick silver chained necklace with a masculine gem on it, and the gem is _glowing_ a bright orange with Tsuna's Flames. "I can give you this. It has my Flames in, as pure as I could manage. Give it to younger me."

Xanxus stares at the gem shining so brightly with Tsuna's Flames. "Why? What will it do?"

"I can't transfer memories, but these Flames, _these_ Flames know it all, have imprinted, and Harmonized with all the right people, have lived through all of _this_ and they are _mine_. When you go back, and give it to younger me, the Flames will seep back into me. I won't have any memories, but I _will_ have feelings and urges caused by the Flames. It will help to bring us together, smooth the edges out before they even become jagged. I wish I could go with you, that I could help you fix all of this, but since I can't go back with you I will do what I _can_ and that is give you a way to bring us together quicker than we would otherwise manage."

Xanxus is _proud_ of his brat as the explanation is given, shifting to be more upright so he can look at Tsuna's eyes so that Tsuna can see it. Tsuna's lips twitch at the sight and Xanxus can feel Tsuna's Flames brush against his own and he takes the necklace carefully and after a moment he tucks it away so it won't be lost in a pocket close to his chest. (It also helps him in the sense that Xanxus _really_ didn't want to deal with a Pride who does not know him, and the little brat that had, once again, exceeded expectations and found a way to help him.)

Shortly after Tsuna steps back, each member of his Pride approaches him, whispering their version of 'see you again' (Because Assassins never said 'goodbye' to someone they wanted to see again) and each hands him a necklace with a glowing Flame Gem. Xanxus is thankful.

Sure he'll have to earn their trust enough when he goes back so that he can _give_ the necklaces to their younger owners, but this is a _huge_ step up from the 'working from scratch' idea.

It was sort of like before he would have had to work from the ground up with each of them. With the necklaces, Xanxus had been handed all the 'ingredients' for what he had now- all the feelings and the knowledge they could _trust_ each other- sure when he went back the 'ingredients' would 'mix' differently, would change the way his Pride worked together and meshed with each other but that was alright.

God he'd been with Lussuria and the brat too long if he was using _cooking_ as a comparison for this shit.

(He missed their damn steak.)

"Xanxus." Tsuna called to him. "It's time."

Xanxus stood up in one smooth movement walking towards his brat. Just before he would go back, he looked at his Pride standing together and gave them a promise they felt down to their souls.

" _I will take care of you."_


	4. Chapter 4

**I did say drabbles you guys. This implies short. Please don't complain when I warned you and especially when I meant to keep this as a oneshot.**

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When Xanxus next takes a breath, he staggers into the closest wall.

It takes him only a fraction of a second to take in the room around him, looking for threats even in his disoriented state and fighting to keep a lid on his Flames. He doesn't want to alert anyone around him of his state, and his Flames will give him away quicker than anything.

Especially now.

Even in his disoriented state Xanxus knows the walls he stands inside. He is inside the Mansion. It considerably narrows down his time frame. He isn't sure exactly where he is time wise- all he knows is it is before the Cradle Affair.

Good.

That means he has time.

He feels the Flame Gems warm against his chest and he feels something in him loosen in response. He hadn't been sure they would come with him. It helps that the gems hold his Pride's Flames in them and their presence soothes his own Flames.

He shakes his head sharply once and takes a breath.

Alright.

Breathe.

He needed to know when he was. He needed to know how long he had to work with, and what he could fix.

But first…he scowls down at his feet.

He needed to readjust to his smaller body or he wouldn't be able to do anything.


	5. Chapter 5

**Some of these will take place before Xanxus went back to expand on how exactly the Pride got to be the way they were. I'm glad to see y'all are interested in this as well with the reviews/PMs I got about it.**

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Xanxus remembers the beginning days after the Solecorvo struck. After he watched the Little Boss go down with a scream, after he witnessed the entirety of the brat's Guardian's _**rage**_. After he witnessed the Flame Storm that resulted from the brats' Flames reaching for each other.

He remembered the day Tsuna's Flames had reached for his, and he remembered his Flames responding by flaring protectively over the younger Sky.

Tsuna had been too angry and distraught to notice the _click_ of their Flames, but Xanxus had known _immediately_ what had happened. He'd actually just sort of frozen there for about thirty seconds after as he realized what had happened. It had taken a fraction of an instant for Tsuna to instinctively reach for the Sky he felt safest with as one of his foundations, as one of his Elements, was ripped away from him.

That Sky had been Xanxus.

In a mansion holding his Sky father, and Nono, in the mansion holding Byakuran and Dino, with Yuni all inside the walls, Tsuna had chosen _him_. Had chosen Xanxus.

It had been instinctive for Xanxus to reach back, his instincts snarling at everything else as he accepted Tsuna into his own fold, into his Pride. Xanxus had dipped down to gather the cub to his chest, his Sky Flames flaring over the younger Sky as he had stormed out of the office.

He'd gone to Levi.

His Lightning had straightened at the rage in his boss' eyes and the sight of the Little Boss (grudgingly respected at this point) held close to his boss' chest. "Boss?"

"Leviathan." Levi's back snapped into a steel line at the use of his first name, and the tone his boss used "You're going _hunting_. And Levi" the words were a dangerous growl "I want whoever did this _dead_."

"Yes Boss!" Levi agreed immediately before he asked "Who do I need to kill?"

"Someone killed the Little Boss' Lightning Brat."

Levi's face blanked. He'd seen and felt the Flame Storm from the Vongola Tenth Generation. Of course he had, but he hadn't thought _that_ was why it had happened. His teeth clenched, a small tick in his jaw the only sign of how angry he was.

(So the little brat had grown on him. Later. Much later. The cow-brat was Vongola and someone had assassinated him. Levi would take pleasure in killing those responsible.)

Levi dipped down in a bow as he answered his Boss' command "It will be done."

Levi turned away and headed for his squads. They had some bastards to hunt down. He'd let the Little Boss know when he knew who had done the deed if the brat was pulled together enough. Levi knew as the Sky Tsuna would want to do _something_ to the people who had taken one of his Elements.

Levi left and Xanxus looked down at the younger Sky (a cub) who had reached for his support. A snarl formed over his face before he forced himself to pull the rage back and he took a breath. He had time.

(Or he had thought he had time. The Solecorvo had moved _fast_ after that thinking Tsuna would be off balance after the loss of Lambo. They were right. He had been. _Xanxus_ had not been, however, and so the first few Solecorvo had fallen to his Wrath. Tsuna had been functioning well enough after that to stand with him.)

(It still hadn't given them the time they had needed. The Solecorvo had struck too many places around the world for anyone to do anything. Eventually strongholds had fallen and people had died. Vongola had been a rallying point.)

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 **-whispers into the night- Sorry. Stuff happened. (Ranging from Grandpa going into the hospital because of a tumor in his brain and a few other things including work and a car accident.)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Back in 'Present' time here**.

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It was official.

Xanxus hated his shorter reach and body. He kept over estimating his reach or strength. It was annoying. He was adjusting of course, and he was managing it quicker than most anyone else would manage (he was _fucking Quality_ so of course he was).

That didn't mean it was _easy_ to fight **years** of instinct and reactions he had honed on a _warfront_.

He's just thankful he's managed to keep it all under the lid well enough that Nono and his guardians don't notice it.

Xanxus does spend a day destroying a training room into nothing but rubble when he finds out he had been sent back before the Cradle Affair but _after_ his brothers had all been killed. He had hoped…but it hadn't happened.

Xanxus had raged over it, especially after he had noticed some things that lead him to one conclusion.

The Solecorvo had been alive and planning even now. He had recognized signs of their presence around his brothers' bodies now that he knew what he was looking at.

Xanxus had never wanted somebody dead so entirely than he did in the moment he realized who had killed his brothers.

He would murder them so entirely their _souls would be ash_.

Xanxus _is_ thankful to see Squalo is one of his at this point though. (It was _weird_ to see his Rain with short hair. He'd almost done a double take.)

Xanxus had given his Rain the Flame Gem Future-Squalo had given him and was pleased to see the Flames return to his Rain and settle over a short period of time.

Once the Flames stored had returned to their owner the Rain still had the masculine gem held to his neck with a sturdy and thick chain and Xanxus feels a little pleased to see the Rain had kept the jewelry.

(Not that he _says_ that, but it was true.)

It wasn't like the Rain _had_ to keep it once the Flames had entirely been drained from the Gem. Instead of discarding the Gem once it was empty the Rain had kept the necklace after it was drained and used it to store his own extra Flames 'just in case.'

Xanxus is rather proud of that forethought.

The Pride had taken to doing that in the future. Keeping Flame Gems on hand for emergency. It was why Tsuna and the others had even had the Gems to send back with him in the first place. He wonders if the choice Squalo makes to use the Gem himself after it was drained is part of the instincts carrying over from Future-Squalo.

Either way Xanxus is glad to see Squalo kept the gem and was using it.


	7. Chapter 7

**I said I was messing with ages. If Cradle affair took place when Xanxus was 18- as it does in my head- and Tsuna was born when Xanxus was 12, Tsuna is about Six years old when Xanxus' pulls the Cradle Affair off. One Year after the Ninth Sealed him.**

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Xanxus didn't like not having the rest of his Pride in reach. It made him antsy. Agitated. His Flames kept reaching for others who weren't _there_.

He kept turning to his right, expecting Squalo to be older, to be experienced in the way that Xanxus was. He kept turning to his left, ready to ask the Little Boss a question, or opinion only to find an empty place.

He kept expecting his other Elements to be present, for them to be fighting each other in the manor somewhere, their Flames steady and constant.

They weren't.

He was alone.

He also had to adjust his plans. He could _not_ afford to be put on Ice for years. He didn't have the time. If Solecorvo were active _now_ , as the evidence around his Brothers' deaths said they were, Xanxus had to make plans. He had to be taking countermeasures _now_.

And he would start with Cleaning his House.

After that, he'd see if he couldn't get to Namimori. The Baby Boss would be _young_ only just turning six if Xanxus had his dates right.

He stilled.

Six…

The Baby Boss had told him about the Seal. Xanxus had gone into a rage over that. The _side effects alone_ should have prevented anyone from using it on a Flame User. For them to use it on a _**Sky?**_

Xanxus had been furious. And then he had been even angrier when he had to explain to the brat why he was so angry.

At least he had been there to see Tsuna punt his father across the mansion and through the third story window once he had understood. That was a rather satisfying image.

If he got there in time, Xanxus may have the option of removing the Seal, and _training_ the brat.

He clenched his hands, focusing on the swirling Flames tucked by his breast.

One thing at a time.

Clean House first.


End file.
